1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an article of wearing apparel, and more particularly to a pocket for carrying items.
2. Description of the Background Art
It is well known that pockets on clothing are useful for carrying items such as medicines, keys, money, sunglasses, tools, etc. Pockets have been attached to several articles of clothing, such as pants, shorts, shirts, dresses, overalls, coats, etc.
Various pocket designs are shown in the prior art which are useful for a variety of purposes, the pocket configuration being designed around the particular area of interest. These attempts have not been able to provide a pocket that is as durable as that of the present invention.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,034 entitled xe2x80x9cGarment Waistband Structuresxe2x80x9d discloses a trousers waistband structure employing a two-part elastic band with an elastic reinforcement strip attached to the two-part elastic band such that the lower linear edge of the reinforcement strip depends freely from the band.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,369 entitled xe2x80x9cExercise Suitxe2x80x9d discloses an exercise suit which includes a jacket and pants having numerous pockets. To permit automatic adjustment for different body sizes, the sleeves and legs of the suit are longitudinally slit and an elastic strap draws the opposite edges of each slit toward one another thus maintaining the suit and its dynamic load in proximate contact with the user""s limits.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,427 entitled xe2x80x9cAthletic Garment or Protecting Genital Areaxe2x80x9d discloses an athletic garment particularly suitable for hockey players protects the genital area of the wearer. The garment comprises a waistband which is supported at the wearer""s waist elastically and with a drawstring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,356 entitled xe2x80x9cDropseat Jumpsuitxe2x80x9d discloses a jumpsuit with an improved, utilitarian dropseat having a bodice attached to pants at the front waist seam. The pants have hidden, in-seam side pockets that facilitate the opening of the dropseat area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,726 entitled xe2x80x9cSports Pants with Protective Padsxe2x80x9d discloses a sports pant with protective pads including a trunk and legs formed of elastically stretchable material with pockets in at least the hip and knee areas, and legs terminating in stirrup ends.
None of the above-identified patents teach the combination of structural elements disclosed and claimed herein which cooperate in a unique manner to provide a pocket for an article of clothing that has increased durability and can be easily manufactured.
It would, therefore, be advantageous to have a pocket that can be incorporated into the seams of the article of clothing thereby providing increased strength and durability to the pocket. Also, the pocket could be easily attached to the article of clothing during manufacturing since the pocket would be joined at the seam of the article of clothing thereby reducing the costs of manufacturing.
It would also be advantageous to have a pocket that allows for easy, convenient retrieval of items, particularly while performing athletic activities.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the art of pockets.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a pocket which is attached to an article clothing by opposing longitudinal seams.
Another object of the present invention is to increase the strength of the pocket.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved pocket which can be attached to different articles of clothing.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pocket that can be easily accessed by the wearer of the article of clothing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved pocket that allows the longitudinal seams of the pocket to expand in conjunction with the longitudinal seams of the article of clothing.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pocket which employs a transverse seam across the lower end of the pocket between a pair of opposing seams.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pocket that employs a serge stitch as a transverse seam across the lower end of the pocket between a pair of opposing seams.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pocket for an article of clothing comprising a pair of opposing seams on the article of clothing, the opposing seams of the pocket attaching to the opposing seams of the article of clothing, and the pocket further having a transverse seam positioned across the opposing seams of the pocket and the opposing seams of the article of clothing, the transverse seam comprising an expandable stitch, whereby, the pocket may expand as the opposing seams of the pocket and the opposing seams of the article of clothing expand, thereby providing an expandable and durable pocket for the article of clothing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pocket for an article of clothing that comprises at least one front panel having a first end and a second end, at least one back panel having a first end and a second end, at least one pocket having a first end and a second end and a lower end, a first longitudinal seam along the first end of the front panel, along the first end of the back panel, and along the first end of the pocket, a second longitudinal seam along the second end of the front panel, along the second end of the back panel, and along the second end of the pocket, and the pocket further having a transverse seam at the lower end of the pocket positioned between the first longitudinal seam and the second longitudinal seam, the transverse seam comprising an expandable stitch, whereby, the lower end of the pocket can expand in conjunction with the first longitudinal seam and the second longitudinal seam, thereby providing an expandable and durable pocket for the article of clothing.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pocket for a pair of shorts that comprises a plurality of seams comprising in combination a waistband, a front left panel having a left edge portion and a right edge portion extending downwardly from the waistband, an inner front right panel having a left edge portion and a right edge portion extending downwardly from the waistband an outer front right panel having a left edge portion and a right edge portion extending downwardly from the waistband, a back left panel having a left edge portion and a right edge portion extending downwardly from the waistband, a back right panel having a left edge portion and a right edge portion extending downwardly from the waistband, at least one pocket having a left edge portion, a right edge portion, an upper end and a lower end, an outer left seam along the left edge portion of the front left panel and along the left edge portion of the back left panel, an inseam along the right edge portion of the front left panel, along the left edge portion of the inner front right panel, along the right edge portion of the back left panel and along the left edge portion of the back right panel, an inner front right seem along the right edge portion of the inner front right panel, along the left edge portion of the outer front right panel and along the left edge portion of the pocket, an outer right seam along the right edge portion of the outer front right panel, along the right edge portion of the back right panel and along the right edge portion of the pocket, and the pocket further having a transverse seam positioned at the lower end of the pocket from the left edge portion of the pocket to the right edge portion of the pocket and from the left edge portion of the outer front right panel to the right edge portion of the outer front right panel, the transverse seam comprising an expandable stitch, whereby, the lower end of the pocket can expand in conjunction with the inner front right seam and the outer right seam, thereby providing an expandable and durable pocket for the pair of shorts.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an article of clothing having at least one longitudinal seam comprising in combination a pocket having a longitudinal seam, the longitudinal seam of the pocket comprising the longitudinal seam of the article of clothing, and the pocket further having a transverse seam along the pocket, the transverse seam comprising an expandable stitch, whereby, the pocket may expand as the longitudinal seam of the pocket and the longitudinal seam of the article of clothing expand, thereby providing an expandable and durable pocket for the article of clothing.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an expandable and durable pocket for an article of clothing.
In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the expandable pocket structure for an article of clothing comprises a pair of opposing seams on the article of clothing where the opposing seams of the pocket attach to the opposing seams of the article of clothing. In addition, the pocket further has a transverse seam positioned across the opposing seams of the pocket and the opposing seams of the article of clothing. The transverse seam comprises an expandable stitch, whereby, the pocket may expand as the opposing seams of the pocket and the opposing seams of the article of clothing expand, thereby providing an expandable and durable pocket for the article of clothing.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the expandable pocket structure for an article of clothing comprises a plurality of longitudinal seams. There is at least one front panel which has a first end and a second end, and at least one back panel which has a first end and a second end. There is at least one pocket which has a first end and a second end and a lower end. A first longitudinal seam is provided along the first end of the front panel, along the first end of the back panel, and along the first end of the pocket. A second longitudinal seam is provided along the second end of the front panel, along the second end of the back panel, and along the second end of the pocket. In addition, the pocket further has a transverse seam at the lower end of the pocket positioned between the first longitudinal seem and the second longitudinal seam. The transverse seam comprises an expandable stitch, whereby, the lower end of the pocket can expand in conjunction with the first longitudinal seam and the second longitudinal seam.
In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the expandable pocket structure is attached to a pair of shorts. The shorts have a waistband, a front left panel which has a left edge portion and a right edge portion extending downwardly from the waistband, an inner front right panel which has a left edge portion and a right edge portion extending downwardly from the waistband, an outer front right panel which has a left edge portion and a right edge portion extending downwardly from the waistband, a back left panel which has a left edge portion and a right edge portion extending downwardly from the waistband, a back right panel which has a left edge portion and a right edge portion extending downwardly from the waistband. There is at least one pocket which has a left edge portion, a right edge portion, an upper end and a lower end. An outer left seam is provided along the left edge portion of the front left panel and along the left edge portion of the back left panel. An inseam is provided along the right edge portion of the front left panel, along the left edge portion of the inner front right panel, along the right edge portion of the back left panel and along the left edge portion of the back right panel. An inner front right seem is provided along the right edge portion of the inner front right panel, along the left edge portion of the outer front right panel and along the left edge portion of the pocket. An outer right seam is provided along the right edge portion of the outer front right panel, along the right edge portion of the back right panel and along the right edge portion of the pocket. In addition, the pocket further has a transverse seam positioned at the lower end of the pocket from the left edge portion of the pocket to the right edge portion of the pocket and from the left edge portion of the outer front right panel to the right edge portion of the outer front right panel. The transverse seam comprises an expandable stitch, whereby, the lower end of the pocket can expand in conjunction with the inner front right seam and the outer right seam.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the expandable pocket structure for an article of clothing comprises at least one longitudinal seam comprising a pocket and a longitudinal seam in the article of clothing. The pocket has a first end and a second end which comprise the longitudinal seam of the article of clothing. In addition, the pocket further has a transverse seam along the pocket. The transverse seam comprises an expandable stitch, whereby, the pocket may expand as the ends of the pocket and the longitudinal seam of the article of clothing expand.
The expandable pocket of the present invention comprises a pair of opposing longitudinal seams that are a part of the article of clothing which are use to integrate the pocket to the article of clothing.
Another feature of the present invention is the increase in strength of the pocket due to the attachment of the opposing longitudinal seams of the pocket to the opposing longitudinal seams of the article of clothing.
Yet another feature of the present invention is the ability to attach the expandable pocket to different articles of clothing.
Another feature of the present invention is the reduced cost in manufacturing due to the ability to easily attach the expandable pocket to different articles of clothing.
Still another feature of the present invention is the ability of the person wearing the article of clothing to easily access the pocket of the present invention.
Another feature of the present invention is the ability of the longitudinal seams of the pocket to expand in conjunction with the longitudinal seams of the article of clothing.
Yet another feature of the present invention is a transverse seam across the lower end of the pocket allowing the lower end of the pocket to expand in conjunction with both the longitudinal seams of the article of clothing and the longitudinal seams of the pocket.
Still another feature of the present invention is that the pocket employs a serge stitch as a transverse seam across the lower end of the pocket between a pair of opposing seams allowing the pocket to easily expand.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.